BILD International Answering a Need A Return to Training Leaders in the Way of Christ and His Apostles

Transcription

1

2 BILD International Answering a Need A Return to Training Leaders in the Way of Christ and His Apostles A New Era of Church History We are entering a new century, a new millennium, and a new era of history, including church history. Huge shifts like this only happen every 200 or 400 years. Modern to postmodern Critical to post-critical Industrial to technological Enlightenment to post-enlightenment The world is being reshaped and new worldview constructs are beginning to emerge! A Massive Shift to the Global South There is a massive shift in Christianity to the Global South. Listen to the following statistics: By 2050, 1 of every 5 people will be Latino. Africa grew from 10 million in 1900 to 360 million in Asia is ablaze with the spontaneous expansion of the gospel. Large-scale conversions are predicted in India. A major organization predicts tens of millions of new churches over the next few decades. A New Apostolic Church Age George Hunter wrote on these combined realities, in a way that helps us see the importance of the time we are entering. Christendom has largely dissolved; and peoples of Europe and North America are mostly secular. The Enlightenment, which provided the worldview for the West, is spent. Once again, we are in an Apostolic Age much like Early Church Christianity experienced. For over 20 years, BILD has argued that we need radical restructuring of Western enterprises, paradigms with 200- and 400-year histories: theological education mission agencies theological disciplines hermeneutics the entire Christian education and adult learning structures BILD International is a serious, long-term answer to help call the Church back to the New Testament, as we enter this new era. Why is this so important? 20th century example: Latin America and Africa. Almost every mission field planted by the Western missionary enterprise, which depends on Western formal theological institutions to develop its leaders, is experiencing common problems a massive lack of leadership in the 2nd generation, and they are on course for major nominalism in the 4th generation. 21st century example: Asia Church-Planting Movements. The gospel is spreading like never before in Asia. Over the last 5 years, millions of dollars have been invested in various training programs, yet the leadership challenge has not been met in any comprehensive way. The attrition rate in some movements is very high. A major solution is needed now. That solution rests in a radical return to the way of Christ and His Apostles! A Call for New Paradigms We fail to realize how dysfunctional and inhibiting our Western leadership structures are today and how poorly they position us to respond to the needs of the new millennium. 2

3 BILD International Training Leaders in the Way of Christ and His Apostles Vision Our vision is to see well established church-planting movements (CPMs) in each of the nine major civilizations, led by leaders, fully trained in the way of Christ and His Apostles, who are designing and implementing effective strategies for civilization-wide progress of the gospel. Mission We exist to train networks of leaders, grassroots to national, in the way of Christ and His Apostles, in partnership with CPMs in each of the nine major civilizations. Four Great Group Initiatives (Master Plan) 1. Ames Antioch Center The Antioch Center is located in Ames, Iowa, and is built in partnership with Oakwood Road Church. Following the model of the Antioch church in Acts 13:1 14:28 and the Antioch/ Alexandrian Center traditions of the Early Church, BILD has established a Resource Center that houses the ministry of BILD and its resident leaders a modern expression of the Pauline team found in the missionary journeys in Acts. This Center is the global back office for our partner large-scale Church-Planting Movements (CPMs) and a training center for Program Designers worldwide. 2. Antioch School of Church Planting and Leadership Development BILD University s Antioch School of Church Planting and Leadership Development is a church-based, competency-based school for assisting church leaders in training future leaders in the context of their churches. The primary motivation of the school is to raise a future generation of church planters in North America. But Type III V Leaders of partner CPMs worldwide can also get degrees right in the context of their ministries. 3. Antioch Initiative North America BILD has initiated a North American church-planting movement with the goal of seeing a whole new generation of churches emerge from leaders trained in the way of Christ and His Apostles. Our goal is to see 20,000 churches planted from leaders trained in the Antioch School. Our initial models will be in our own Judea Des Moines and Minneapolis. 4. International CPM Partnerships (Type I V Programs) This is the primary ministry initiative of BILD and is at the core of its founding vision. Our goal is to see 10,000,000 leaders trained worldwide in the way of Christ and His Apostles, through partner CPMs who are strategically identified in each of the 9 major civilizations, with a special focus on India, China, and Southeast Asia. We will work with each partner to build an integrated system for training their Type I V Leaders (grassroots to doctoral level) in church-based, nonformal programs. p h i l o s o p h y Training leaders and developing churches in the way of Christ and His Apostles Pages 4 7 A unique learning system based on the way of Christ and His Apostles Pages 8 13 A global network of leaders and churches committed to the way of Christ and His Apostles Pages

4 The Pauline Cycle p h i l o s o p h y BILD is a philosophy. It is a philosophy rooted in the way of Christ and His Apostles. It is also a paradigm. Let s explain these two concepts. The Pauline Cycle Paradigm A paradigm is an entire constellation of beliefs, techniques, and so on shared by members of a given community. Entrust to Faithful Men Evangelize Strategic Cities Western formal theological education is a paradigm. All theological schools have professors, classrooms, tests, degrees, etc. Although the models vary, they all share the same institutional paradigm the same rules and boundaries. We are introducing a new paradigm church-based theological education a paradigm based on the way Christ and His Apostles developed leaders, very different from our institutional model. Acts 13:1 14:28 Establish Local Churches What do we mean by the phrase the way of Christ and His Apostles? 4 It can be summarized with the four charts listed on these pages. The first of these charts is The Pauline Cycle. The Pauline cycle is built from a careful study of Paul s four missionary journeys in the book of Acts. The core of the pattern is found in Acts 13:1 14:28. Paul began his work by taking the gospel to strategic cities, maybe better referred to as strategic areas. He preached the gospel and then gathered the believers together around Christ s teaching and quickly formed them into a church, appointing elders in every church. He then moved on to a new area, expecting the churches to permeate the surrounding areas with the gospel. On future missionary journeys, he would send letters, key men on his team, or personally visit them, seeking to establish them more firmly in the teaching, in order that they would become strong. An established church is not one with a pastor and a building, but rather a community of believers with strong leadership, so rooted in the gospel and the teaching that no one can come in and upset entire families with another teaching....people have adopted fragments of St. Paul s method and have tried to incorporate them into alien systems, and the failure which resulted has been used as an argument against the Apostle s method...when these false and partial attempts at imitating the Apostle s method have failed, men have declared that the apostolic method was at fault and was quite unsuited to the condition and circumstances of present-day missions. The truth is that they have neither understood nor practiced the Apostle s method at all. St. Paul s method is not in harmony with the modern Western spirit...we cannot imagine any Christianity worthy of the name existing without the elaborate machinery which we have invented. Roland Allen Missionary Methods: St. Paul s or Ours?

5 Paul s Letters as Establishing Tools p h i l o s o p h y The second idea focuses on the second part of the Pauline cycle establishing churches. It follows a biblical theology approach, which means that we let the Bible unfold naturally and categorize itself before we impose our own categories. In this case, we cluster the early, middle, and later letters of Paul together, naturally, as they were written. What are the letters of Paul and the other Apostles that are included in the New Testament? They are letters intended to establish the churches in the Apostles doctrine the faith, the deposit, sound doctrine all terms used in the letters for the teaching of Christ, deposited through the Apostles to the churches. Paul s Letters as Establishing Tools The Process of Building Strong Churches Paul s Early Letters Strong in the Gospel Paul s Middle Letters Strong in the Mission/Vision of the Church Paul s Later Letters Strong, Mature Households and Leaders Early Letters of Paul The early letters of Paul were all intended to establish the churches in the gospel. If this foundation was not laid, then they could not go on to be mature churches. Think through these letters: Galatians don t follow a different gospel; 1 & 2 Thessalonians stand firm in the gospel; 1 & 2 Corinthians defense of the gospel applied to lots of divisions and confusions; and Romans was written as the great treatise of the gospel Paul s intent was to establish the Romans in the gospel (Romans 16:25 27). The Middle Letters The middle letters are all similar in terminology and emphasis. The full plan of the Church is revealed in Ephesians and Colossians. The churches are encouraged to strive together for the progress of the gospel, and this can only be done if they are one-minded around the plan of Christ, the Church. How could they be one-minded if they were not established in the gospel and were not willing to build their churches around Christ and His administration, the Church? The Later Letters of Paul 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus are Paul s final letters. They are all similar in style as well. Paul reviews for Timothy and Titus how to build strong families and leaders in the church and how to make each church a big household a family of families. If the churches did not have strong leaders, no one would protect the community from false teachers coming in and upsetting whole families. And without a strong church family (community), there would be no impact in the city. 5

6 The Didache: Establishing Believers and Families p h i l o s o p h y The third concept focuses on the didache. This is the Greek term in the New Testament for the teaching. The Early Church devoted itself to the Apostles teaching (Acts 2:42). In the letters, the Apostles teaching is called the faith, the deposit, and the sound doctrine, which they were to hold to. Believers and churches were considered established when they were rooted in this teaching. What are the core elements of this teaching? At no place in the letters to the churches is a doctrinal manual given of this teaching. There is never just a cold doctrinal statement to learn, as in our doctrinal statements in Western theology today, based upon the controversies of Western theology. Instead, the teaching is found woven into the letters to the churches, addressing real life situations. Again, a careful study of the Apostles letters to the churches makes it easy to identify this teaching, since the elements are repeated again and again in the letters. The structure of Paul s letters to the churches is fairly consistent. First he focuses on the kerygma and then the teaching, or didache. Kerygma The term used by the early Christians for the essence of the gospel message; the Greek word means proclamation. Jesus died, was buried, and rose again, and we are saved by trusting in His work on the cross for forgiveness of sins, and we now have a new identity in Christ. Didache The teaching they were to be established in. Letter by letter, again and again, they were told to put off the old man and put on Christ, to walk in the fruit of the Spirit, to have orderly households, to love and serve one another, to submit to governing authorities, and to live sober watchful lives, waiting for Christ s return. The teaching (called sound doctrine) has become a cold, abstract proposition known as theology or denominational doctrinal statements. It is built upon centuries of Western controversies, which almost hide the natural process of learning doctrine in the context of family and community life. The Didache:* Establishing Believers and Families Core elements: reform conduct put off/put on virtues fruit of the Spirit family relationships households true community love conduct toward outsiders submit to governing authorities responsible living sober, watchful * Didache means teaching in Greek and refers to the teaching of Christ as delivered to the Apostles. Today theology has become a mastery of academic disciplines for professional ministerial preparation, rather than an orientation of the soul for the purpose of acquiring wisdom, which all men and women need, regardless of their station in life. Edward Farley Theologia: The Unity and Fragmentation of Theological Education 6

7 The Paul and Timothy Model p h i l o s o p h y The final piece of the philosophy is now ready to be put in place. This regards the third part of the Pauline cycle the training of leaders. Paul refers to this as entrusting the deposit (of sound doctrine) to faithful men. There were two spheres of leaders to whom Paul entrusted the churches. Local leaders (elders, deacons, deaconesses) based on age, character, family, and sound doctrine. Ministers of the gospel (Timothy and Titus types) who moved amongst the churches, strengthening and establishing them. Most people don t know it, but Timothy went with Paul on his team when he was in his late teens and was used to take the letter to the Thessalonians and help establish them when he was about 20. But he worked on Paul s team until he was fully commended as a master craftsman, in his late 30s. Today, in our modern Western theological institutions, we give young people masters degrees before they have mastered anything! 5 Major Philosophical Tenets of Global Church- Based Theological Education (C-BTE) 1. C-BTE must be based in the life of a local church and a movement of churches. 2. C-BTE must be primarily viewed as a process of entrusting (modeling and mentoring) sound doctrine to faithful men. 3. C-BTE must take place in the context of establishing churches. 4. C-BTE must be viewed as a need for all men and women regardless of their station in life. 5. C-BTE must begin with the first principles of the faith. Paradigm Papers The global church-based theological education paradigm has been developed in 9 paradigm papers over a 12-year period by Jeff Reed. Most are posted on the BILD website ( This philosophy, which we refer to as the way of Christ and His Apostles, is characterized by tenets of a new paradigm in theological education called global churchbased theological education. Paul and Timothy Model (2 Tim. 2:2) YOUNG MAN APPRENTICE Team Member MASTER CRAFTSMAN Developer of Team Milestone #1 Commendation by elders to apprentice with team, 1 Tim. 4:14 proven character obvious gifts and fruit teachability loyalty Milestone #2 Commendation by recognized leader to develop missionary teams, 2 Tim. 1:6 kept the faith avoids wrangling over words accurate workman of the deposit obvious growth undefiled conscience 7

8 A Unique Learning System Based on the Way of Christ and His Apostles We chose to call the second part of the ministry of BILD curriculum. But the by-line is very important: a unique learning system based on the way of Christ and His Apostles. Paul and Timothy Model Curriculum refers to materials and resources and a path to guide an ordered learning or developmental process. Too often we think of curriculum as just courses. In BILD, curriculum refers to a whole learning system. Before explaining the learning system, let me return once again to the way of Christ and His Apostles. What were the core ingredients of the learning system used by Paul? 1. Context (in-ministry training) The training took place in the context of ministry. Timothy was with Paul. They were co-workers. Paul modeled and mentored every aspect of the training. 2. Content (mastery of the Scriptures) The training involved character development, ministry skills, and biblical mastery. Timothy needed to build his life and ministry around sound doctrine and then master the Scriptures and the issues of culture that affected the churches (doctrines of demons). 3. Assessment (qualifications) Paul spent a lot of time in 2 Timothy talking about qualifications and assessment. BILD s Unique Learning System BILD has built a unique learning system based on the way of Christ and His Apostles. The system has 3 parts: 1. 5-Type/5-Level Program (in service) BILD has designed a system that creates an ordered training (nonformal) that goes all the way from illiterate to doctoral level work, without ever leaving the ministry. 2. BILD Courses (mastering the Scriptures) BILD has created resources for all 5 levels. The main tools are The Leadership Series (25 courses) and The First Principles Series (13 courses). 3. Portfolio System (mentoring/assessment system) BILD has created a state-of-the-art portfolio system to anchor mentoring and assessment, as the center of the training system. Nonformal education is a very important aspect to the design of BILD s system. (See Church-Based Education Which is Truly Church-Based, by Jeff Reed Formal Education Our global Western university, degree system. Informal Little structure, like Deut. 6:6a and Jesus training of the 12. Nonformal Serious ordered learning, but fitting to the culture, combining elements of formal and informal, outside the Western system (idea developed by UNESCO). Another important aspect of our system is the idea of a 5-Type/5-Level leadership training, popularized by David Bennett s India Leadership Study research (see Elliston), which is also seen in such research as Jim Collin s Level 5 Leadership (HBR). Level 1 Grassroots Level 2 Overseers and Assistants Level 3 Vocational Leadership Level 4 Regional Leadership Level 5 National Leadership BILD has established a nonformal paradigm system for developing indigenous programs, but with a serious ordered learning backbone. Each of the 5 levels is progressive, has church-planting movements in mind, and can sustain the learning process from illiterate to doctoral levels. BILD Programs There are two main options for building programs in partnership with BILD International: licensed programs with BILD International, or degree/certificate programs with BILD International University. Both of these options are built around two very important ideas. 1. Church-based Every BILD program is designed to be church-based. The programs are designed to be led by church leaders, training future leaders in the context of their churches, not in some sort of schooling or extension context. 2. Competency-based Every BILD program is designed to be competency-based. These programs focus not on courses and grades, but on measuring competencies based on carefully designed outcomes. 8

9 BILD Licensed and Degree/Certificate Programs Based on the Way of Christ and His Apostles TYPE I LEADERS GRASSROOTS LEADERS Small group leaders, household clusters, household heads 1-YEAR PROGRAM (average) BILD s First Principles Series I BILD Certified Programs 1-Year Ministry Experience and Portfolio TYPE II LEADERS OVERSEERS AND ASSISTANTS LEADERS Elders, deacons, women s ministry workers, youth, parents, church workers, etc. 1 2 YEAR PROGRAM (average) BILD s First Principles Series II and III BILD Certified Programs 2-Year Ministry Experience and Portfolio MINISTRY CERTIFICATION** Leadership Mastery I (L.M. I) MINISTRY CERTIFICATION** Leadership Mastery II (L.M. II) * Offered through BILD s Antioch School of Church Planting and Leadership Development or partner academic institutions. ** Granted through partner churchplanting movements and/or church networks. TYPE III LEADERS VOCATIONAL/NON-VOCATIONAL LEADERS Pastors, church planters, elders, evangelists, etc. 1 2 YEAR PROGRAM (average) BILD s Leadership Series I and II (25 courses Basic Edition) BILD Certified Programs 3-Year Ministry Experience and Portfolio CERTIFICATES/DEGREES* (COMPETENCY-BASED) C.Min., C.Th., B.Min., B.Th. MINISTRY CERTIFICATION** Leadership Mastery III (L.M. III) TYPE IV LEADERS REGIONAL LEADERS Leaders of leaders: pastors, church planters, regional leaders of church-planting movemens (CPMs) and ministries 2 4 YEAR PROGRAM (average) BILD s Leadership Series I and II (25 courses Advanced Edition) BILD Certified Programs 4-Year Ministry Experience and Portfolio CERTIFICATES/DEGREES* (COMPETENCY-BASED) M.Min., M.Th. MINISTRY CERTIFICATION** Leadership Mastery IV (L.M. IV) TYPE V LEADERS NATIONAL LEADERS Leaders of church-planting movements and ministries, denominational leaders, pastors of strategic churches, etc. 2 4 YEAR PROGRAM (average) Paradigm Transformation Projects (5 D.Min. courses) BILD Certification Program 5-Year Ministry Experience and Portfolio CERTIFICATES/DEGREES* (COMPETENCY-BASED) D.Min., D.Th. MINISTRY CERTIFICATION** Leadership Mastery V (L.M. V) 9

10 Leadership Series, First Principles Series, and Portfolio System The BILD curriculum, itself, is way outside the formal theological education paradigm, and it is important to understand this from the outset, although it can interface with creative theological institutions very well. This curriculum has been under development for over 30 years. Walter Kaiser helped Jeff Reed, the founder of BILD, rebuild the entire theological encyclopedia of the curriculum from , restructuring it on a biblical theology rather than a systematic theology base. At that time, it was used in ORC s apprenticeship, before being developed and published as BILD s Leadership Series. Ted Ward came into the picture in 1985 and brought an understanding of nonformal education, educational processes such as Bloom s taxonomy, and a decade of mentoring in issues of theology in culture. The BILD curriculum would never have developed without the decade of help from these two giants in the evangelical world. Two Big Ideas (from the way of Christ and His Apostles) 1. The 2 Timothy Framework for the Leadership Series Paul reviews his training of Timothy in his epistle entitled 2 Timothy. It focuses on his life and ministry preparation and then the importance of him mastering the Scriptures. 2 Timothy forms the structure of the Leadership Series. 2. The First Principles Concept In Colossians 2:6 8, Paul talks about the importance of establishing the churches and believers in the first principles of the faith. These principles, the core of the teaching, form the biblical theology framework of The First Principles Series. The Curriculum 5 Levels of Integration The Leadership Series The Leadership Series is the flagship series of the BILD curriculum. It consists of 25 courses, Basic and Advanced (undergraduate and graduate levels respectively). The 25-course series is equivalent to a 90- hour M.Div. in terms of work but is an entirely different process. The use of the courses is very different from academic institutional courses. Use and design of courses: 1. They are to be done in community, in service. 2. They are dialogue/project-based not lecture/ testing-based. 3. Each has a theological reader to inform the discussion. 4. Issues and projects are adjusted by need and cultural setting. 5. The work level accomplished with the course is integrated into the portfolio to demonstrate the level of development and competence. The First Principles Series The First Principles Series is based upon the didache (see chart on page 6) rather than on some man-made set of basic categories. It is designed to respect the process of learning the faith in the context of daily, family, and community life, not as an intellectual set of theological doctrines. The Leadership Mastery Portfolio System The final component of the BILD core training system is the portfolio system. It is an extensive set of ministry, academic, family, and character outcomes and assessment worksheets based upon the way of Christ and His Apostles. In addition, indigenous assessment guides are created to measure outcomes of the indigenous elements of each level of training. 10

11 The Core BILD Curriculum TYPE I LEADERS GRASSROOTS The First Principles Series I Becoming a Disciple Belonging to a Family of Families Participating in the Mission of the Church Cultivating Habits of the Heart Teaching the First Principles Leader s Guide TYPE II LEADERS OVERSEERS AND ASSISTANTS The First Principles Series II Enjoying Your Relationship Passing on Your Beliefs Envisioning Fruitful LifeWork Building for Future Generations The First Principles Series III Handling the Word with Confidence Unfolding the Great Commission Laying Solid Foundations in the Gospel Catching God s Vision for the Church Living in God s Household TYPE III LEADERS VOCATIONAL/NON-VOCATIONAL Basic Edition (25 Courses) TYPE IV LEADERS REGIONAL Advanced Edition (25 Courses) Leadership Series Acts: Keys to the Establishment and Expansion of the First Century Church Pauline Epistles: Strategies for Establishing Churches Understanding the Essentials of Sound Doctrine Leaders and the Early Church Interpreting the Word 1 Preaching and Teaching Covenants, Unity of Scripture, and Biblical Worldview Habits of the Heart The Family and the Early Church Ministry Priorities and Personal Management Character of a Leader Ministry Perspectives: Conflicts Without and Fears Within Interpreting the Word II: Languages and Study Aids Evangelism and the Early Church Shepherding, Counseling, and The Early Church Toward a Theology in Culture Old Testament Theology: The Law Old Testament Theology: The Former Prophets Old Testament Theology: The Latter Prophets Old Testament Theology: The Writings New Testament Theology: The Synoptic Gospels New Testament Theology: Acts and the Pauline Epistles New Testament Theology: The General Epistles New Testament Theology: The Johannine Literature Constructing a Comprehensive Belief Framework in Culture TYPE V LEADERS NATIONAL BILD Certification System (20 weeks) Paradigm Transformation Projects Certified Nonformal Indigenous Programs BILD Resources I and II Licensed Programs Manuals Degree and Certificate Programs Manuals 11

12 BILD Certification for Licensed, Certificate, and Degree Programs Licensed Programs (Building Type I V and fully customized programs, with BILD International) BILD International will license church-based programs in any of the five types of partners listed on page 16. These programs can be complete Type I V programs (see page 9) or customized programs that meet specific needs. Joint BILD-Partner Certificates will be created to offer those completing licensed programs. BILD s Certification System is pictured on the following page. Each program to be licensed must have a leader in the certification process. A week of upfront training is needed, and the whole certification process must be completed in a 5-year period, to maintain the certification of the program. There are various Ames, North American, and international opportunities to complete the certification. Eventually, it will be available through video streaming and video conferencing. Degree and Certificate Programs (with BILD International University) BILD International has launched BILD International University and its Antioch School of Church Planting and Leadership Development. We will offer degree and certificate programs in association with our five types of partners (listed on page 16). Degrees and certificates include the following: C. Min. C. Th. B. Min. B. Th. M. Min. M. Th. D. Min. D. Th. The core of the certification process is listed on the following page. Each program to be certified as a certificate or degree program must have a leader in the certification process. A week of upfront training is needed, and the whole certification process must be completed in a 5-year period, to maintain the certification of the program. There are various Ames, North American, and international opportunities to complete the certification. Eventually, it will be available through video streaming and video conferencing. Additional Modules Additional training modules will be offered in areas such as portfolio and competency-based assessment. BILD International University s Antioch School of Church Planting and Leadership Development Church-Based and Competency-Based A School Without the Schooling Paradigm Bachelors, Masters, and Doctoral Degrees in Ministry and Theology Designed around BILD Partnerships (see page 17) To view or download a copy of the Antioch School Brochure, visit Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary Doctor of Ministry in Global Church-Based Theological Education Each course is designed around BILD s Paradigm Transformation Projects and co-taught by Jeff Reed, Steve Kemp, Walter Kaiser, Ted Ward, and Gary Parrett. 12

13 BILD Certification System Building quality nonformal theological education programs is much more difficult than building formal programs. There are virtually no examples of large-scale success accompanying large-scale church-planting movements in modern church history, in fact, since the first 300 years of the Early Church. BILD s system has been developed over the last 30 years and covers every aspect of this difficult task. While results can be seen in the first six months, the training spans a 5-year process. BILD Resources I Licensed Programs Manual Degree and Certificate Programs Manual Licensed Programs Manual Degree and Certificate Programs Manual Licensed Programs Manual Degree and Certificate Programs Manual Paradigm Transformation Projects This training is built around the Paradigm Papers and three other white papers by Jeff Reed, all designed to set forth the boundaries of a new paradigm Global Church- Based Theological Education*. As a result, participants will develop philosophy papers and projects to move their churches forward in the church-based philosophy. PTP I: The Church as Theological Education PTP II: The Church Doing Theology in Culture PTP III: The Church as Missions PTP IV: The Church as a Hermeneutical Community PTP V: The Church as Christian Education Global Church-Based Theological Education Accelerating Church Planting Movements Worldwide by Training Leaders in the Way of Christ and His Apostles *Introductory Seminar The first step of the Certification System is an introductory seminar Global Church-Based Theological Education. It is available online on a dedicated website. Contact BILD for access to the website. Introductory Seminar BILD Licensed and Degree/ Certificate Programs This training is devoted to assisting our partners in building both licensed and degree/certificate programs, designed to fit into their unique goals and cultural contexts. One manual is for building an integrated system of Type I V programs grassroots to doctoral level in partnership with BILD International. The other manual is designed to guide partners in building degree and certificate programs. Licensed Programs Type I Leaders Grassroots Type II Leaders Overseers and Assistants Type III Leaders Vocational/Non-Vocational Type IV Leaders Regional Type V Leaders National Degree and Certificate Programs C.Min. Certificate of Ministry C.Th. Certificate of Theology B.Min. Bachelor of Ministry B.Th. Bachelor of Theology M.Min. Master of Ministry M.Th. Master of Theology D.Min. Doctor of Ministry D.Th. Doctor of Theology BILD Resources I and II This is an extensive training in using and equipping others to use BILD resources in developing leaders. The workshops are built around ten conversations, each focusing on a different BILD resource The First Principles and 9 courses from BILD s Leadership Series. The training includes a leader s guide and workshop guide to go with each resource. Conversation 1: The First Principles Series Conversation 2: Acts: Keys to the Establishment and Expansion of the First Century Church Conversation 3: Pauline Epistles: Strategies for Establishing Churches Conversation 4: Understanding the Essentials of Sound Doctrine Conversation 5: Leaders and the Early Church Conversation 6: Interpreting the Word I: Principles and Procedures Conversation 7: Preaching and Teaching Conversation 8: Covenants, Unity of Scripture, and Biblical Worldview Conversation 9: Toward a Theology in Culture: A New Encyclopedia Conversation 10: Old Testament Theology: The Law 13

14 A Global Network of Leaders and Churches Committed to the Way of Christ and His Apostles We need to return one more time to the New Testament to examine the way of Christ and His Apostles. Early on in the expansion of the churches, it is clear in Acts that networks began to form: the Jerusalem Council, the letter to the churches from the Council, the gift collected for the Jerusalem churches from the Gentiles churches, the network of letters circulated, etc. In one generation these small churches turned the world upside down and in three centuries radically transformed the Roman Empire. The chart on this page shows the multiplication of churches from the first to the third centuries. This tradition, based upon the way of Christ and His Apostles, is known as the Antioch Tradition. It survived to the 4th century but was replaced by western Greek and Roman traditions. As the gospel expands now to the Global South, we need to return to the Antioch Tradition to the way of Christ and His Apostles. The Great Commission, recorded in the gospel and unfolded in Acts, is a worldwide multiplication of churches. Growth of the Early Church 1 st Century Churches 2 nd Century Churches Today, missions, driven by Western enterprises, see the mission as primarily a multiplication of individuals, as epitomized in parachurch organizations propagating an American discipleship movement that focuses on the multiplication of individuals not churches. As the gospel shifts in the 20th and 21st centuries to the Global South, especially to Asia in this century, we are quickly returning to the apostolic era. It is essential that we visit the New Testament afresh in these historic times. 3 rd Century Churches 14

15 Charter Partnership Programs Spontaneous Expansion Worldwide Key: Western Latin American African Islamic Sinic Hindu Orthodox Buddhist Japanese The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order by Samuel P. Huntington Major Focus Asia (Strategic Expansion) We have made a strategic decision to focus major time and resources on India and China, since massive church-planting movements are spreading across both countries and throughout Asia. See brochures Asia Expansion and India: Vision 2020 and Beyond. With varying levels of success and the ethnographic study yet to come, we have over 15,000 in training in these prototypes. Charter Partner Programs (9 Prototypes) For five years we focused on 3 large-scale partner programs Nigeria, Cambodia, and Peru as well as several smaller strategic prototypes France, Australia, Pakistan, Japan, Albania, and India. See BILD World Partners Brochures. Strategic, Civilization-Wide Networks (of leaders and their CPMs) We are developing both a strategic network of leaders and partnerships with CPMs in each of the following 9 major civilizations: Western Latin America Africa Islamic Sinic Hindu Orthodox Buddhist Japanese We now have over 15,000 leaders training in our 3 large-scale programs, and all our remaining prototypes are developing as solid models of renewal, unreached peoples, and whole country strategies. 15

16 Building Licensed Programs (Large-Scale Type I V) with BILD International These programs are primarily designed for churchplanting movements worldwide, especially large-scale movements. There are two ways to initiate these programs. 1. Strategic Partnership Programs These partnership programs are considered strategic to BILD s global focus and limited resources. In these partnerships, usually large-scale or globally strategic, BILD will commit to a 5-year process, including training 2 3 times a year on site in the country. 2. Self-Start Partnership Programs These partnership programs are initiated by one of the 5 types of groups listed below. They must commit to BILD s Certification System; find their own resources; and come to the training at the BILD Center in Ames, at a future BILD International Research Center, or contract with a BILD Trainer, certified in Global Church-Based Theological Education. Partnership Memorandum of Understanding All partnerships will begin with a Memorandum of Understanding between BILD and the partner seeking to build a program. This memorandum will spell out BILD s responsibilities and the partner s responsibilities. Each partner will be responsible for building a selfsustaining program within the 5 years. Part of the understanding will be to build a budget that reflects the following elements and the beginning of the process. Each budget must include: 1. sweat equity/own monies 2. annual funding request for 5 years 3. plan for becoming self-sustaining in 5 years Upon building this understanding, BILD will establish a restricted fund for the project under its 501(c)(3), making it easy for partners to receive donations in the USA. BILD will also promote the project on the web (if it is safe), assist the partner in building a fund development plan, and introduce the partner to foundations and major donors. BILD does not have the capacity to raise funds for partner projects but will assist their endeavors in any way possible. Five Types of Partners Several types of networks are envisioned as prototypes for partnership with BILD International. Some are underway as prototypes, and some are currently being sought as partnerships. Their final shape is yet to be completely determined, but they generally will look as follows. Types of BILD Partnership Programs and Prototypes: 1. An Association or Denomination of Churches. A network designed within the infrastructure of an association or denomination, fully interfaced and integrated with all formal theological education structures. 2. A Church-Planting Movement or Consortium of Churches and/or Mission Agencies. A network designed by a consortium of different associations/denominations of churches and mission agencies and/or training organizations/institutions. 3. A Theological Seminary or Bible College. A network designed by a seminary or Bible college serving as a resource network for an identified cluster of churches. 4. A Church-Supporting Mission Agency. A network designed within a mission agency for the purpose of equipping its missionaries to establish BILD programs on their fields or to help their network of churches become fully established, through building BILD programs within their churches An Antioch Church. A network designed by a strategic church s leadership team, following the ancient Antioch and Alexandrian examples, that develops a BILD program fully within the sphere of ministry or stewardship of that local church.

17 Building Degree/Certificate Programs with BILD International University If you are a leader of an association or denomination of churches, a church-planting movement or consortium of churches or mission agencies; a theological seminary or Bible college; a church-supporting mission agency; or an individual Antioch church who would like to build a partnership with BILD to offer degrees from the Antioch School, you should: 1. Contact BILD to express your interest. This will allow us to make sure that you have all of the information you need for further consideration. We will also let you know about training opportunities and other updates. 2. Gather data about the interest in your church, network, or mission. This will help you to know who is interested and when they would like to begin. 3. Become a Certified Leader. To launch your program, you will need to be trained in and/or demonstrate competency in the following areas of training: a. BILD Resources Conversations 1 3 (see page 13). Training in other Conversations is available, but is not required to begin a program. b. Paradigm Transformation Project on The Church as Theological Education. c. Workshops on the evaluation of practicum and the use of portfolio assessment. Training will be offered at the BILD International Summit in November and at other times in other places. Students will not be admitted to a program unless the program is led by a BILD Certified Leader. 4. Launch your program. The rest is built into the use of the BILD resources and portfolio assessment program. 5. Maintain portfolios. The faculty of the Antioch School will provide quality assurance through review of the evidence of competencies, gathered in churchbased theological education programs. BILD Program Fee Structure The following is a basic fee structure for building licensed and degree/certificate programs. Fees in less affluent parts of the world are scaled to an appropriate economic level. Licensed Programs with BILD International BILD Program Costs per Year Large-Scale Programs Up to 25,000 $10 per leader 25,000+ $8 per leader 50,000+ $6 per leader 100,000+ $4 per leader 250,000+ $2 per leader Programs Under 3,000 Leaders Total Costs (BILD 40% of total program costs) Yr 1 Budget $60,000 Yr 2 Budget $120,000 Yr 3 Budget $180,000 Degree and Certificate Programs Standard Tuition in North America and other more affluent parts of the world is $2400 a year ($200 a month). Adjusted Tuition in less affluent parts of the world is scaled to an appropriate economic level. A sponsorship program allows churches, families, and others in more affluent parts of the world to leverage their economic strength for the benefit of others. 6. Attend ongoing training. Required, yearly training for Certified Leaders will include additional BILD Resource Conversations, Skill Building Workshops, and Paradigm Transformation Projects. Ongoing training will be available at BILD s yearly Summits, in November of each year, and at other scheduled times and locations. 17

18 18 The Lord is doing something very different in India because of Jeff. I have never seen Christian leaders, who are mightily used by the Holy Spirit of God, spontaneously coming together to say Yes, this is what I am looking for, while Jeff presents BILD materials with passion for Christ and His Church in India. Emil Jebasingh Founder of India Believers Fellowship Churches and Vishwa Vani Network For the past 19 years, I have worked, struggled, and engaged myself with the problem of the Western missionary model of theological education in Africa. My search has been that of finding a relevant and effective alternative. As a theologian, an educationist, and a church leader within an African context, I know what is good and relevant in Africa and what is not. I first came across BILD in This new model was not marketed or sold to me, but I saw it and became very interested in it. Since that time I have studied its philosophy and its relevance to our context and have found it to be most relevant to our context and need. BILD is biblically and culturally relevant. It is church based, and it is also both spiritually and academically balanced. BILD is flexible enough to allow creativity, control, and relevance. The theological idea in BILD is in itself liberating. Yusufu Turaki Director International Bible Society-Nigeria Church-Based Theological Education (CBTE) is one of the most well thought out and comprehensive plans for building strong churches and training leaders I ve seen. Your investment in them has the potential of impacting entire nations. Tom McCallie III Executive Director The Maclellan Foundation After years of dreaming and encouraging a truly church-based, non-formal education of leaders in ministry as an alternative to the proliferation of institutions of formal theological education I can see it coming to fruition in the BILD International program of education ministry experience...bild is doing what so many have only talked about: putting the local church at the center of pastoral ministry preparation. Ted Ward Professor Emeritus of International Studies and Educational Research, Michigan State University, Professor of International Studies, Mission, and Education, ret., Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

19

20 2400 Oakwood Road Ames, IA LearnCorp, L.C., v 2.0